Panasonic to Establish 3D Innovation Center in U.S.

Panasonic Corporation of North America announced that it will establish a new 3D Innovation Center in the U.S. this fall.

According to the statement, the Panasonic 3D Innovation Center will focus on engaging with the entertainment and broadcast communities to enhance 3D production technologies and work flow and foster collaboration with industry partners to develop new applications for 3D technologies.

The new Panasonic 3D Innovation Center will be based on the campus of Panasonic Corporation of North America in Secaucus, NJ. The Center also plans to create a branch in the Los Angeles area to facilitate collaboration with the entertainment industry. For more than 15 years, Panasonic has maintained an R&D facility, Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory, in the Greater Los Angeles area for the development of entertainment-related technologies and ongoing liaison with major studios for the development of the Blu-ray 3D format.

“Panasonic foresees the expansion of 3D technology into nearly all aspects of the entertainment electronics industry, but we also see it being applied in a diverse range of other industries including healthcare, education, and beyond,” said Joseph M. Taylor, Chairman and CEO of Panasonic Corporation of North America. “It is only a matter of time before 3D becomes an essential element in the operations of many major enterprises and the new Panasonic 3D Innovation Center will work to support that process.”

Like the 3D Innovation Center that is already operational in Japan, and the Panasonic European 3D Innovation Center that was announced this morning in Berlin, the mission of the Panasonic U.S. 3D Innovation Center will be to serve as a platform for developing alliances and partnerships with companies that are exploring how to apply 3D technologies in their own operations. With the aim of promoting innovation, the Center will also serve as a forum for ongoing communication with local 3D stakeholders in all industries to share 3D content, exchange ideas and establish best practices for creating and delivering 3D services.